For roughly the billionth time, we learned this past week that politics and social media are often (always?) a toxic combo.
The latest chapter in the “How not to use social media” book, which will have roughly an infinite number of entries before it’s all said and done, was written by Elizabeth Lauten, communications director for Rep. Stephen Fincher, R-Tenn.
Lauten, having watched Malia and Sasha Obama looking less than enthused at the White House’s annual Thanksgiving turkey pardoning, took to Facebook, writing in part: “Dear Sasha and Malia, I get you’re both in those awful teen years, but you’re a part of the First Family, try showing a little class… . Rise to the occasion. Act like being in the White House matters to you. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar.”
Knowingly or not, Lauten violated one of the few adhered-to commandments of political Washington: Thou shalt not talk about politicians’ children.
After a predictable media backlash, she apologized — via Facebook, natch. “I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager,” she wrote.
Too late. By Monday, Lauten had resigned. By Tuesday, conservatives had begun attacking the press for its allegedly over-the-top coverage of a junior staffer for a backbench member — evidence, they insisted, of the media’s liberal bias. The end result of this now-familiar outrage cycle was heightened disgust — if that’s even possible — with everyone and everything in Washington.
Elizabeth Lauten, for bringing us all back to high school, you had the worst week in Washington. Congrats, or something.
Cillizza covers the White House for The Washington Post and writes The Fix, its politics blog.
